Car handling and dumping apparatus.



N 825,378. L PATEN-TED JULY 31, 1906.

, W. W. KEEFER.. I

GAR HANDLING AND DUMPING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION rrpnn D30. 18. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 827,373. 'PAI'ENTED JULY 31, 1906.

I w, W. KEEPER.

OAR HANDLING AND DUMPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 10110.18. 1905.

a sHEETs-snEE-T 2.

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THE NORRIS PsrsRs 00., WASHINGTON, n. c. v

PATENTEDJULY 31, 1906. W. W'. KEEPER. GAR HANDLING AND DUMPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1B. 1905.

3 8HEBTS-SHEET 3.

0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

a citizen of the United States, residing at. .Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. K-EEFER, vOF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, JAMES S. PATFJS, MON ONGAH-ELA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SAMUEL A. SCOTT, OF DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANLA, A

CAR HANDLING AND puM me PPARA us.

iatentedJuly 31 1eoe.

To all whom it may concern:

.2 Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. KEEFER,

State of Pennsylvania, have'in'vented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Car Handling and Dumping Apparatus, of which the. following is a specification, reference .being had therein to the.accompanyingdrawings.

invention relates is usually located at a tipple, .where loaded .cars from a" mine are A dumped on screens. which remove the slack and assorts the lump coal into requisite grades or sizes for themarket.- .Car-dumping mechanisms. now in general use are objectionable for the reason that the .coal is discharged on the screens in practically a single mass, this beingas soon as the inclination of the car'is sufficient to causethe coal to move therefrom,

. by. gravity. With this large body of coal moving down over the screens it is obviously impossible to screen all ofit, much of the slack 'beingcarried over and detracting from ,.the-..quality of what should be screened coal.

Mechanisms of prior design are open, to the further objection that they require the-unremitting attention of the operator in order to. start and stop various parts thereof at the; .proper timesand avoid damage resulting .from excessive movement. Furthermore,

H and being more or less the mechanisms in general use are expensive ceptible to disorder.

The general'purpose of the p resentinven- .tion is to provideapparatus for overcoming the difiiculties abovenoted, one feature thereof being the provision of means for; j olting or shaking the car while itis being tilted,; .so, that coal begins to discharge as soon as 1 the car commences to tilt, and as this jar-ring or shaking may continue all the while the arc 18,111 tilted position a practically constant" stream of coaliscaused to discharge on the screen until the car has been emptied, the dischargebeing in the nature of'a' thinlayer as distinguished from abulkymass-compris: .ing all orga largepart of the car contents.

Opportunityis thus afforded for effectually cleaning all the. coal, and practicallyno slack passes overutheiscreenc This shaking or jolt ng-may be variously accomplished,

complicated are sus- Referring to t preferred embodiment of the invention pro- ,vides for a double,orcompoundshaking or joltingpf the carsupport,}the mechanism for raising the support whentilting; having a jerking or jolting upward movement and the same being .true of the support 3,XlS. By

thus doubly jolting the -support while {being tiltedthe coal is causedto dischargefon the screen in a most effective manner. Car handling and dumping apparatus of the generalcharacter to which the present A further feature of the invention the means employed for automatically movingthe cars along the dump-approach and-onto ,WILLIAM w. KEEFER, or ,IPITTJSBURGQ PENNSYLVANIA, Assienoa .ro v

,the dum'p proper, such mechanism being so arranged as to move the car a predetermined distance when the propelling mechanism is stopped automatically or without the interrvention of theoiperatort a Still ,a further. feature consists in such a novel arrangement ofthe car-movingandcar-* dumping mechanisms thatthey may be operated alternately by a single drive under the control of one lever. e

1 Inthe; accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is; a side e t on of th mpro appar u the dumping portion thereof being shown in dotted lines, and Fig; 1 showsa continuation of the left-hand end ofv the apparatus oflFig. 1.

Fig.2 is a top plan view,;and*Fig.,2 jshows a I continuation of the left-hand end thereof Fig; 3 is a view looking into the dischargeend of r the apparatus, thescreen n ot er p tions of the mechanism being omitteda Fig. 4is a diagrammatic view illustrating the v jolting movement ofthe tilting caifsupp ort. Fig. 5 is a detail'view of the horn-operating mechanism, the horns being shown open, as

in dotted lines in Fig.3, for theforward'pas- .sage of the dumped or empty car. a I

e drawings, 2 designates the tracks upon which the cars O approach the dump,and 3 is the tilting or dumping carsupport; secured tov shaft 4:.- -Thise shaft is capable of slight vertical movementin its .bearin'gs 5 and at its ends csirries'ratchet- 1 like wheels, 6 6 ,which engage the upperends ofposts7. m

*Shaft, 4:, is located near the-outerend of support 3, and for raising the inner end there- 'of a bar '8 is hingedto and depends from its underside, with one face providedwvith'the teeth-like projections 8 Journaled :i n' the' frame of the apparatus is shaft 9,. andmounfi d th eo i t ethe w 0,1 prefe y.

constructed of separated disks connected by the circular series of evenly-spaced cross-pins 10, which comprise the wheelteeth. The spaces between pins 10 are greater than the spaces separating bar-teeth 8, which they engage, thus creating an uneven mesh, the result being that in elevating platform 3 when a pin 10 disengages a tooth 8 the next succeeding pin 10 is an appreciable distance below the next bar-tooth 8, and hence bar 8 slips backward until it is caught by the engagement of the last-mentioned tooth and This operation is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus support 3'is raised by a series of partially-receding upward movements, each of which jars or shakes support 3 and the car thereon being tilted. Bar 8 is embraced by yoke 11, adapted to oscillate vertically on shaft 9, and which operates to hold the bar in engagement with wheel 10.

' A chain-drive 12 connects shafts 9 and 4,

7 so that as shaft 9 is operated through the medium of wheel to tilt support 3 shaft 4 is rotated and vibrated vertically by the movement of ratchetwheels 66 over posts 7, thereby shaking or jolting the car-support at its tiltin axis, as well as at its free or raising end. s shown in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 4, wheels 6 and 6 are preferably arranged with their notches out of line, so that shaft 4 receives a jolt first at one end then at the other, this movement being more effective in loosening and starting the coal within the car than straight vertical vibrations of shaft 4, which would result from wheels 6 6 being in register or with their notches in line. i

A ratchet-clutch 13 in connection with spring 13 holds chain-drive 12 in rigid engagement with shaft 4 when support 3 is moving upward, but when the motion is reversed shaft 4 and wheels 6 6 are stationary.

An inclined screen S'may be supported in any convenient manner for receiving the contents of the car when dumping. Rails 14, pivoted to the outer end of support 3 so as to tilt therewith, are adapted when in raised position to connect with a return-trackway (not shown) over which the car passes after being emptied.

Mechanism "of any suitable design may be provided for holding the car on support 3 and for releasing the empty car for passage forward over track 14. The mechanisms here shown, for which no novelty is claimed, consists of the vertically-oscillating horns 15, secured to rock-shafts 16 beneath and paralleling the rails of support 3. Depending arms 16 of each shaft are connected by links 17 with opposite ends of a T-shaped lever 18, shafts 16 being held normally wlth horns in raised positionby spring 18. As is usual in this form of apparatus, provision is made for causing horns 15 to turn outwardly, as in dottedlines in Fig. 3, after the car has been dumped and returned to horizontal position, this movement of the horns being usually accomplished automatically by the next approaching car. The automatic mechanism here shown consists of a depressible oscillating track-section 19 in approach 2, having a depending arm connected by chain 20 with an arm of lever 18. Thus as the next loaded car approaches the tilting car-support it moves tread 19, and thereby so operates the horn mechanism as to place it in positionv shown in Fig. 5, with the horns turned outwardly, when the empty car may be pushed forward onto track 14 by the next approaching car and out of the way. As soon as the loaded car moves over tread 19 the latter is raised and the horns restored to normal or upright position by the action of spring 18 for engaging and holding the car which causes them to spread. Lever 18 may be fulcrumed to the under side of support 3, and its position with relation to shaft 4 is such that its operation is not disturbed by the tilting of support 3.

For driving shaft 9 gearing 21 connects the same with shaft 22, and secured on the latter is friction drive-wheel 23, the periphery of which is adapted to be engaged by the small wheel 24, carried by power-shaft 25, wheel 24 being located at such distance from the bearings of shaft 25 that the latter may be deflected slightly without impairing its elliciency. For thus deflecting the shaft a lever 26 is provided, which may extend upwardly within convenient reach of the operator and be equipped with a spring-latch mechanism 27, operating in connection with a quadrant 28 for holding the lever in desired adjustment.

Approach-tracks 2 are provided with the usual brake-bars 29 of wellknown construction, which frictionally embrace the wheels of an approaching loaded car and stop it before it reaches the dumping apparatus. The arrangement is such that when the tipple is in continuous use a loaded car is always in about the position indicated at the left hand of Fig. 1, ready to be moved forward onto the tilting car support or dump. For advancing the loaded car from this position over horn operating bar 19 and onto car-support 3 a cable 30 is provided which at its inner end passes downward over sheave 31 and at its outer end over sheave 32, at which end it is provided with weight 30. Secured to the cable at a proper point for engaging the rear end of the loaded car is the latch-like device or dolly 33, which is pivoted between its ends at 34 with its rear end 33 of such weight as to hold the dolly normally in position to engage a car, as indicated in Fig. 1. When, however, it is necessary for the dolly to pass backward beneath a car, it will tilt and )ass beneath the running-gear thereof, as wil be readily understood. Cable 30 is adapted to "wind on sheave 35, mounted on shaft 36, and alsosecured tothis shaft is actuatingfrictionwheel 37, which is in the plane of wheel 23 andso spaced therefrom that drive-wheel 24 may be caused to engageits periphery by a movement of lever 26, as abovedescribed. Thus the same driving and controlling mech: anism operates both the tipping mechanism and the car-advancing mechanism., 1

The periphery of Wheel 37, is provided with an inset 37 sothat after said wheelmakes almost a complete revolution in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, as when winding the cable, this inset is brought into the plane of drive-wheel 24 and its forward movement ceases. Itsmovement, however,

Y wheel at the initial or startingposition.

is sufficient to advance the loaded car onto dumping-platform 3. Thus means is pro-v vided for automatically stopping the forward movement at the proper time and without the intervention of the operator, so that danger of accident owing to winding of the cable continuing too-long is avoided. When wheel 24 is released from frictional contact with wheel 37, weight 30 operates tounwind the cable from sheave 35., restoring the dolly 'to position foreffecting the advance of the next car. This backward movement may be controlled by a stop 38, carried .by' wheel 37, engaging a portion of the frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby always stopping said i1 dicated in Fig. 1.) 1 7 With shaft 25, power-wheel 24, and lever 26., arranged as shown, movement of the le- 'ver in one direction engages wheels 24 and 23:

and the lifting of the tilting car-support is begun. At the same time wheel37 is released, and it and the cable are permitted to return to their normal position, as above described. After support 3 has been fully raised a reversemovement of lever 26 releases wheel 23, when support 3 and bar 8 lower by gravity to normal position. Simultaneously with this 5 operation wheel 24 is so driving wheel 37- as to advance the next car to the tilting support, and this next car may be operated to push the unloaded car forward ontotracks 14, the unloaded car being at that time released by horns 15, swinging outwardly, as heretofore described. The arrangement is preferably such that; the last or lowermost tooth 8 of .bar 8 is in engagement withfwheel 10 when the full tilting position is reached, so that even though the; driving. mechanism is not immediately stopped no harm can result, as

until it is stopped the dump will) simply continue the jarring movement transmitted throughthelast tooth 8.

While the dumping mechanism and means for advancing the car on the approach may be combined in forming a complete and efii cient tipple and be operated by one and the same drlving p0wer,either'-of said mechanisms may be used to the exclusion of the 375? other Without departing from the invention, and it is clear-that other and different forms of driving mechanisms may be employed.

I claim 1. In car-dumping apparatus, car-tipping means, in combination with car-j olting mech- V .amsm. i

'2. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car- -support, and means for olting the support.

3. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting .carsupport, and means for imparting a j olting upward movement to one end of the support.

4. In car-dumping apparatus, a verticallyoscillating car-support, and means for j olting the sapport-axis. I I 5. n car-dumping apparatus, a verticallyoscillating car-support, and means for simultaneously elevating and j olting one end of i the support, whereby the support is raised by a jerking or jolting movement.

. 8. In car-dumping apparatus, a verticallytilting car-sup ort, a toothed lifting-bar extending there rom, and an actuating-wheel having a Ihit-and-Iniss connection with the bar-teeth.

9. In car-dumping apparatus, avertically- .tilting car-support, a toothed lifting-barextending therefrom, and an actuating-wheel ,for the'bar having teeth spaced differentlyv from the bar-teeth. I i 10. In car-dumping apparatus, a vertically-tilting car-support, a toothed lifting-bar extending therefrom, and an actuating-wheel 1, meshing, with the bar-teeth and having teeth imore Widely separated than the bar-teeth.

11. In car-dum ing apparatus, a tilting lsupport, a toothe actuating-wheel, and a toothed bar meshing with the wheel for actu- 1 ating the support, the length of the series of {the bar-teeth corresponding to the movement. of the support, whereby the support is fully tilted when the last tooth of the series is in engagement with the wheel, for the purpose described.

12. Incar-dumping apparatus, a tilting icar-su port, a toot edactuating-Wheel, and

' a bar ortilting the support having a series of teeth spaced difierently from the teeth of said wheel and adapted to mesh therewith.

the length ofthe series of bar-teeth corresponding to the movement of the support,

whe'r eby the support is fully'tilted whenthe last tooth of the series is in engagement with .the wheel, forthe purpose described.

13: In car-dumping apparatus, a verti eally-tilting car-su port, support-tiltin means, wheels rotata e on the support an having irregular peripheries, wheel-rotating means, and fixed devices against which the wheels bear.

14. In car-dumping apparatus, bearings, a tilting car-support adapted to oscillate and play vertically in the bearings, wheels movable vertically with the support and having irregular peripheries, wheel-rotating means, 1aDnd fixed devices against which the wheels ear.

15. In car-dumping apparatus, bearings, a tilting car-support adapted to oscillate and play vertically in the bearings, means for causing said vertical play, and tilting means.

16. In car-dumping apparatus, a shaft movable vertically in its bearings, a tilting car-support mounted on the shaft, wheels carried by the shaft having irregular peripheries, fined surfaces upon which the wheel-peripheries bear, a bar for tilting the support, an actuating-wheel for the bar, and means for simultaneously rotating the last-mentioned wheel and the support-sustaining shaft.

17. In car-dumping apparatus, a shaft movable vertically in its bearings, wheels carried by the shaft having irregular peripheries, fixed surfaces upon which the Wheelperipheries bear, a vertically-movable bar for tilting the support, a second shaft, a wheel on said shaft for actuating the bar, means for rotating said second shaft, and gearing connecting the latter with the support-sustaining shaft.

18. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support having a vertically-movable tilting-axis, a bar for raising one end of the support, actuating means for said bar, and an operative connection between said actuating means and the support-axis for causing the latter to move vertically in its bearings.

19. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, actuating means therefor, a car approach for the support, mechanism for moving a car along the approach and onto the support, and means operating automatically to stop the movement of the caractuating mechanism.

20. In cardumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, actuating means therefor, a carapproach for the support, a forwardly and backwardly moving car-engaging cable for the approach, winding means for the cable, and means for automatically stopping the winding mechanism at a predetermined point.

21. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, a car-approach for the support, car-moving means for the approach, a wheel for actuating the car-moving means, said wheel having an offset in its periphery, and a friction-drive adapted to engage the wheelperiphery and rotate the same until it encounters said offset.

22. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, a car-approach for the support, a cable adapted to move a car along said approach, a sheave upon which the cable winds when moving forward, mechanism for turning said sheave a predetermined distance, and a weight operating to draw backward and unwind the cable.

23. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, mechanism for actuating the same, a car-approach for the support, carpropelling means for the approach, and driving means common to the car-propelling means and the support-actuating mechanism.

24. In ear-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, actuating mechanism therefor having a drive-wheel, a car-approach for the support, car-propelling mechanism for the approach having a drive-wheel in the plane of the firstunentioned drive-wheel, and a power-wheel positioned between and adapted to engage either of said drive-wheels.

25. In car-dumping apparatus, a tilting car-support, actuating mechanism therefor having a drive-wheel, a car-approach for the support, car-moving mechanism for the approach having a drive-wheel in the plane of the first-mentioned drive-whee], a powersha'ft, a wheel on said shaft positioned between and. adapted to engage either of said drive-wheels, and an operating-lever for said shaft.

26. The combination of car emptying means, a car-approach therefor, mechanism for moving a car along the approach toward the emptying means, and means operating automatically to stop 'the movement of the car-actuating mechanism.

27. The combination of car-tilting mech anism, a car-approach therefor, mechanism for moving a car along the approach and into position for tilting, and means operating automatically to stop the forward movement of the car-actuating mechanism.

28. The combination of a car-approach, car-moving means for the approach, a wheel for actuating the car-moving means, said wheel having an offset in its )eriphery, and a drive-wheel for the last -mentioned wheel adapted to engage and rotate the same until it encounters said offset.

29. The combination of a car-approach, a cable adapted to move a car along the approach, a sheave upon which the cable winds when moving forward, mechanism for turn ing said sheave a predetermined distance, and a weight operating to draw backward and unwind the cable.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILIJIAM W. KEEFER.

itnesses:

J. M. ARMSTRONG, (Jr-ms. J. BROWN.

Ila 

